


grounding

by Queen_of_Moons67



Series: Tumblr Prompt / Ask Box Fill [12]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Gen, Good Parent Alfred Pennyworth, Hurt/Comfort, Prompt Fill, Scarecrow's Fear Toxin (DCU), Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:40:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23619895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_of_Moons67/pseuds/Queen_of_Moons67
Summary: Prompt: Desperate hand holding with Alfred and Bruce, please!
Relationships: Alfred Pennyworth & Bruce Wayne
Series: Tumblr Prompt / Ask Box Fill [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1643869
Comments: 1
Kudos: 33





	grounding

**Author's Note:**

> This one was interesting to think about it! I almost went for young!Bruce and Alfred, but thought it might be nice to do something different.
> 
> Also! This is my 70th fic on AO3!! I hope you all like it, and thank you to everyone who's supported my writing!

Bruce’s breath shuddered, aching and raw as he fought for control over his own body and emotions. Scarecrow had released a new kind of gas. Bruce had gotten a facefull of it before he’d managed to whisk himself away, and the kids were all out of town for one reason or another, and Bruce _had_ to make the antidote himself, he had to, all of Gotham was counting on him—

“Master Bruce,” Alfred said. There was the familiar clatter of a tray on a medical table, and then Alfred was beside him, hand clutching his. “Master Bruce, you do not need to do this by yourself. Let me call Master Richard home—”

“No.” Bruce shook his head, voice rasping, but didn’t take his eyes off the equations and equipment before him. “No, the Titans need him tonight. And this is no trouble.”

It shouldn’t be, anyway. This gas didn’t seem to cause hallucinations, just caused the mind to more easily remember old fears, and the body to react more violently to them, which meant Bruce should have it handled.

He should. But Bruce’s heart raced like a hummingbird, fast and painful, and he had to blink sweat from his eyes more than usual. And with each blink, a different family member appeared before him, bleeding out in a different way than before.

Bruce forced in a deep breath, then forced it out, and when he came back to himself this time it was to the feel of Alfred’s hand, still tight around his own.

“Master Bruce,” Alfred said, voice softer. “Even if you insist on doing this yourself, you do not need to do so alone.” He paused, and then, squeezing Bruce’s hand once, Alfred asked, “Does this help?”

Bruce also paused, taking stock of his body. His heart still raced, and his breath was still uneven—but they did so less than before.

“Yes,” he admitted. Turning his hand over, he squeezed Alfred’s hand back. “Yes, it helps.”

Alfred leaned closer, and Bruce turned to face his guardian, letting him take a better look at him.

“Can you work like this?” Alfred asked. “You are much too pale, but if this is all I can do—”

“It’s enough, Alfred,” Bruce reassured. “Thank you.”

Alfred scoffed and shook his head, muttering about how was he supposed to do anything when Bruce didn’t let him, and if he could, Bruce would have smiled. As it was, he just squeezed Alfred’s hand.

And as Bruce focused on his work again, forcing away images of Alfred bleeding out with his parents in the alley, the weight of Alfred’s hand in his helped keep him grounded.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! And if you want to give me another hurt/comfort prompt to fill, just head to my tumblr here: https://queenofmoons67.tumblr.com/post/190568203607/good-types-of-tropes-for-hc
> 
> All I need is at least one prompt selection and two characters!


End file.
